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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

How do you sort your washing?

120 replies

Krazylady · 13/12/2016 14:50

Just wondering...I think I probably do more loads than necessary instead of lumping together.

I always separate the following:
Jeans
Towels
Bed linen
DH's shirts
Dark colours
Light colours
Woollens
Delicates

I've always done it this way, but my sister says she just does dark or light colour washes. Who is right? Do I need to get a life?

OP posts:
WetNovemberDay · 13/12/2016 14:54

I do darks lights and whites.
Sometimes a pink/Red or blue/grey load. That's only on bedding change day though because we have 2 kings one with red bedding and one with blue. Just makes sense to shove a few other similar coloured bits in at the same time.

Pallisers · 13/12/2016 14:57

Darks
Whites
Brights
Delicates/cold wash

Also we send out DH's shirts so those go in separate place.

dementedpixie · 13/12/2016 14:59

Darks, whites, brights, mixed lights, bedding. Rarely do a delicates as underwear goes in with the corresponding colour of wash

Beewhisperer · 13/12/2016 15:00

Darks, lights and bedding.
Towels are added to bulk out a load. It can take ages for me to end up with a full load of whites without separating any more.

Mumonthesofa · 13/12/2016 15:05

I am bad for this... I do a fair few

School jumpers & trousers
School polo shirts
Towels & Flannels
Underwear & socks
Pyjamas
Work clothes
Casual clothes (darks & lights)
Children's clothes (darks & lights)
Tea towels & dishcloths
Dog towels (for drying wet dog)

I find it easier for when I am drying/sorting/ironing it all

Mumonthesofa · 13/12/2016 15:06

Oh and bedding on its own of course too!

prokupatuskrakedatus · 13/12/2016 16:50

60°C - everything labelled for 60 - towels, underwear, socks, duvet covers etc.

40°C - everything labelled for 40 - T-Shirts, Shirts, etc;
every two weeks I do a 40°C white

JenLindleyShitMom · 13/12/2016 16:53

I do

Towels
Colours
Whites (includes beiges and light greys)
Bed linen
Floor mats.

CondensedMilkSarnies · 13/12/2016 16:54

Darks

Whites/ pale colours

Colours

I don't separate towels from bedding etc . Once I've separated into colours, I grab an armful that will fit in the machine , so sometimes have to split the black
pile in two.

Floralnomad · 13/12/2016 16:54

It varies here depending on what's in the laundry bin . If there's enough whites / lights I separate if not I chuck it all in . Often I do pants and towels together as we wash towels several times a week . Bedding on its own . Anything that's new / going to run gets done on its own .

MinisWin · 13/12/2016 18:25

-60 deg wash - towels, cloths, bedding
-Whites
-Non-bio baby washing
-Tumble dry normal clothes
-Non-tumble dry normal clothes
-Tumble dry sports kit
-Non-tumble dry sports kit

We have A LOT of sports kit Hmm. All of these have their own basket to go in to in the utility - set this system up a few months ago and it's been life-changing!

SVJAA · 13/12/2016 18:26

Towels, bedding, cloths, lights, brights, darks and whites.

MuppetsChristmasCarol · 13/12/2016 18:28

Darks and lights. Occasionally a separate wool wash.

Artandco · 13/12/2016 18:32

Darks
Whites
Delicates/ wool

madgingermunchkin · 13/12/2016 18:35

Nice shirts (usually white),
New dark stuff that might run,
Everything else.

Life's too bloody short.

madgingermunchkin · 13/12/2016 18:36

Oh, and wool/delicate stuff is separate.

NicknameUsed · 13/12/2016 18:37

Dark, lights and whites. If I sorted them into some of the multiple categories that some of you do we would run out of clothes as there are only three of us. I refuse to run the washing machine on anything less than full.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/12/2016 18:38

Bedding
Towels
Woollen
Dark
Light

TheMumsOnTheBusShoutEqualPay · 13/12/2016 18:45
  • Darks - we seem to have a bottomless laundry basket of darks. There always seems to be another load of darks ready to be washed about 5 minutes after I've washed the last lots.
  • Whites
  • Brights, though sometimes these go in with the dark washing if there isn't much
  • Lights, again, sometimes they go in the whites
  • Woolens
  • Delicates + DH's shirts
  • Bed linen
  • Towels and cloths
  • Dog towels, cushions etc.
NicknameUsed · 13/12/2016 19:01

All of our knits go in with the darks as they are all dark. It doesn't do them any harm.

MoodyOne · 13/12/2016 19:14

Wow BlushShock
I do darks & whites and that's it

CharlieSierra · 13/12/2016 19:19

There was a thread the other day about clothes wearing out and things 'not washing well'. I didn't relate at all, but I sort my washing into multiple categories. I split my darks, so jeans, trousers and hard fabrics don't go in with my dark coloured jersey dresses and stuff which I would wash with dark jumpers. Then I do brights, lights, whites including tea towels and light towels, dark towels, bedding, and a cold wash for my silk, cashmere and other delicate fabrics. There are only two of us here so I don't do all of those every week, it depends what I wear to work.

StarCrossdSkys · 13/12/2016 19:23

Just lights and darks so 2 piles. Do not believe there are any benefits in making it more complicated.

MsStricty · 13/12/2016 19:49

Darks (40), whites (40 or 60), and towels/sheets (60).

Orangebird69 · 13/12/2016 19:55

Coloureds at 30 with a colour catcher.
Whites at 60.

I deliberately don't buy wool/delicate clothes. Dh's suits go to the cleaners once a week. Laundry is done daily so nothing is too grubby.